Dredging-bucket



(No Model.)

- J. MENGE.

DREDGING BUCKET. No. 294,250. Patented Feb. 26,.1884.

which are hinged at the base, substantially as indicated in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings. The movement forward of the hinged bottom also gives animpetus to the soil in the bucket, which assists the delivery of thesame.

I reserve the right to apply these improvements to the scoop-buckets ofthe well-known constructions, and especially to those shown anddescribed in my several patents.

I also reserve the right to apply these in1- provements .todredging-buckets of the dipper c1asssuch as are used on the Osgood andother dredges; and I also reserve the right to vary the construction,and arrangement of the parts Without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A dredging-bucket having at the upper front end, in advance of thetop section, an attached cutter having a similar peripheral out-- lineand an intermediate space between the top section and cutt-erbar,substantially as described.

2. A dredging-bucket having the cutter pivotally connected to the sidesof the bucket and arranged in advance of the top section of the bucket,and stop means, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The improved dredgingbucket consisting of the lower section, uppersection, bottom, and cutter having peripheral outlines to correspondwith the upper section,with the intermediate space, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOSEPH MENGE.

\Vitnesses:

ZENO 'l. GRIFFEN, H. O. ALBERDA.

Usurnn States Patent @rrrcn.

JOSEPH MENGE, OF NEVT ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

DREDGiNG-BUCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,250, dated February26, 1884:.

Application filed October 18, 1883. (N0 model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, Josnri-r MENGE, a citi- Zen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans'and State ofLouisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDredging-Buckets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a portion of an endless chain with twodredgingbuckets attached, showing my improvements. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of a dredging-bucket with my improvements appliedthereto; and Fig. 3 is a side view of abucket, showing the cutterpivotally attached to the sides thereof.

In the practical working of dredging-machines employing ordinaryscoop-buckets or endless train buckets in sticky soil, it has been foundthat the soil adheres to the buckets, and

' the discharge from the buckets is not free on account of the adhesion,and whenever this occurs the buckets become clogged, and do not freelydischarge in passing the highest point of elevation. The main object ofthis invention is to remove this serious difliculty by constructing ascoop-bucket that will discharge its contents readily and freely.

The invention consists in providing each bucket at or near its forwardouter end with a steel bar with a cutting-edge attached to the oppositesides of the'bucket, to serve as a cut ter for loosening the soil orcutting through obstructions for the bucket, the construction andarrangement being substantially as will be hereinafter more fully setforth.

The invention further consists in a dredgsists of the lower or bottomsection, 0, formed or provided with the side walls, (I, the top. orupper section, E, flush at the base with the lower side walls of thesection 0, and extended forward the distance of about one-half (more orless) the length of the bottom section, the front steel bar, F, curvedto correspond with the peripheral outline of the upper section, E, and ahinged bottom, H. The parts E and F are firmly connected to the sidewalls, (I, of the bottom section, 0, by rivets orother fastening means.The front portion of the curved steel bar F is sharpened to form acutting-edge. The cutter,which is arranged upon the upper front end ofeach bucket, is a little greater in diameter than the diameter of theforward portion of the upper section, E, so as to act upon the materialor obstructions below the path of the circle traversed by the front endof the bucket. The bar is also arranged at a suitable distance from theforward edge of the top section, E, of the bucket, so as to form an.

intermediate space between the edge thereof and the rear edge of thecurved bar F, substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.This intermediate space between the upper edge of the top section of thebucket and the curved bar allows the excavations to pass wet andlooselyinto the part E, or body of the bucket, and for the emission ofwater in the excavated soil, and also lessens the frictiona-l surface ofadhesion in the bucket.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings the curved steel bar F is shown as pivoted tothe side walls of the section 0, so that the bar can fall back and restupon the front edge of the section E of the bucket during the process ofexcavating, and when the bucket is about to unload itscontents at thepoint of discharge the curved arm is automatically thrown forward, asindicated by the dotted lines, on account of its weight and the downwardpassage of the bucket, in which position the cutter is sustained fromfurther movement by means of the stops h, arranged on opposite sides ofthe bucket. This slight forward movement of the curved arm loosensitself from the soil and enlarges the opening for the discharge, thuspermitting the soil to escape easily from the bucket.

These buckets may be provided with either the fixed or movable bottoms,preference being given to the movable ones of that class

